Last



May 2, 193`9.

E. E. OUELLETTE 2,156,817

' LAST Filed April 22, 1958 BY m ATTORNEY.

Patented May 2, 1939 i TED STATES PATENT erstes LAST `Ernest Quellette, Manchester, N. Application Apil 22, 1938, vSeriali N'o. 203,502

y6 Claims.

This invention relates to lasts Afor shoes. The upper and other parts of a shoe are builtfonthe last, and, therefore, fit very closely but ata-certain stage -in the assembling ofthe shoe, the vvlast must be removed.

To facilitate'the removal of the lasts, they are often made with a toe section and a yheel section `pivotecl together so that the shoe heel portion L p can he released from the last and. `then the shoe o toe portion and the whole shoe can he 4removed from the last.

Difficulty is experienced vbecause lthe curve desire-d in -a shoe heel, when considered in a vertical lengthwise plane, is not `one which can T5 ordinarily be struck on a center which coincides with the center of the pivot between the toe section andthe heel section -of the last.

`In fact, the 1heelcurve is "such that there Ais `a backward bulgeand 'frequently the 'top and botllgl() `torn ends are on different slopes or curves. In

other words, the heel curve is nota regular arc of a circle.

`On account of this, it isoftennecessary toap- `p'ly great force to bend the heel partof the shoein g5 order to remove Athe shoe from the last.

I use `a last of two sections -pi-voted together on what might be called fa sliding -ligivot. By providoing a spring and a stop or stops which preferably may be the adjoining Vparts Aof the la-st, the

t13"() last -is resiliently held in working position. In

my preferred construction, the spring is so positioned as to also hold the parts `in the `open fposition. To accomplish this, I use `-a holding spring of the compression type in the toe section. lwhich so co-operates with a rigid pivot 'or connecting plate fixed to and extending ifrom -the heel section, preferably with a ball `between, that `t-l're parts pass a dead center from the `working -or operative position to the position in which the 4b shoe is being removed from vthe `llast, lwhich I wil-l `call the open position.

I am aware that complicated arrangements of slots and other devices have `been proposed -4for allowing the heel portion of the shoe to be 1re- V4.5 leased from the last but this 'invention is a Lvery strong, simple arrangement of parts `whereby 4the last is not weakened `in `any way hut can lhe removed by the simple movement oi jbending the toe of the shoe 'and of the last. then pushing the 50 toe parts towards the heel parts Aand then con-- tinuing the bending motion until the 'heel lof the shoe, now 'being clear of the heel of the last, freely releases itself therefrom.

I so cut the adjoining parts f-of the heel and 55 the toe sections that Ithe sections are `held firm- -`l-y in 'place in the working position by stops, a` pivot 'and `a spring but by y'three "continuous moftionsthey canfoe released, `swung lon 'a pivot fand pushed together lagainst the pressure Vof 4the spring. f5

In the drawing, Fig. l is a vertical, longitudinal -section'of a last'with the shoe A'on it, the last being placed on ajack post.

`Fig. 2 'is -a `,plan view yof the same last and shoe resting fon lits sole and removed 4l-rorn -the jack 10 post.

Fig. '3 lis `afview similar -to'Fig l, `showing the iirstf'or beginning 'of 'the movement to release the shoe hee'l *from the last heel. A

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary AView of the `working =1'5 position Aof a modication -of `the last such as shown "lin Fig. 1.

Fig. `5 A'is la view `similar to Figs `1 and 3, showing `the next position of the parts in yreleasing rthe shoe from the last.

Fig. '6 isa View simlarto 'Fig. -4 -of `a last showing that modification but uwith the parts in the open instead of the 'closed position.

:Fig 7 isaview'of thesamelast show-n in Figs. 1, 3 and "5 in the last position where the shoe Eheel is released 'fromtlrelast l Fig. 8 is a View "similar to Fig. 6 Vof Jstill another 'modification 'of 'the last.

In the drawing., l-I representsavshoe with a sole Apart 11|, `a toe part *42 and 'a heel part 43. As shown, 'the heel part J113 is curved `on a double or `irregular curve.

J represents the `well-known jack `post which enters ahole '20 4in the heel section A 4of a last, thehee'l part -'il df the'h'eelsection Accrresponding in shape and `size with the heel part AQ3 of the shoe.

B `represents *the *toe section of the last and AVincludes a toe part 2.

The sole part of the llast 'is represented by l. This in the drawings' is shown 'as at Athetop, although when "the shoe is on Athe foot, it be- 'comes the bottom.

The other Apart Il, although Ashown as at the `hot-tom, I will ncall the upper part of -the last as it Iis nearest ithe `-upper yof lthe shoe.

Extending lengthwise and vertically into `the front part of the lheel section `and into `the `back par-t of the ltoe Asection yare :the coinciding slots 4 and N4 and-adjoining thesole part are the stop "facesE-a-nd V5 and at the uplperorother side are the ystop ffaces 6 and il6. Between the faces 5 vand '15 is a concave intermediate .front face 'l of the 'heel section and betweentthe `faces |25 and .lli 'is a `convex intermediate hack 'iface =l| v`of the toe .55

section. Preferably between heel front face 'I and face 5 is a heel curve ridge 8 and between toe back face Il and face I5 is a toe curve ridge I8.

Ridges 8 and I8 are normally in engagement when the last is in working position and with faces 5 and I 5 form the stops or stop faces which hold the sections rigidly together so that the adjoining portions of the sole part of the heel and of the toe will exactly register and so that there will be no slipping between the faces 5 and I5. These ridges might be omitted, however, as shown in Fig. 8.

C is a connecting plate xed in slot 4 in heel section A by means of pins and 3| and extending out at 32 into slot I4 of toe section B.

Il] is a straight transverse slot extending through plate C of oblong shape so that pivot pin P which passes throughy it from toe part B will be allowed to move only in the direction of the axis of slot I6. This axis and movement is at an angle sufliciently great with the stop face I5 to prevent any slipping between it and stop face 5. Preferably, also, there should be a sufficiently large angie between this axis and the face I6 to prevent slipping of that face on stop face 6.

The curves I and I'I of the intermediate faces of the heel section and toe section come together at the ridges 8 and I8, but when the last parts are in working position, as shown in Fig. l, extend away from each other. The axis of the slot I8 passes approximately through intermedin ate faces and II and the bearing end 33 of plate C is engaged by a ball 34 carried by a compression spring S movable in tube T in toe part B. The axis of tube T and spring S is such and ball 3d and end 33 are so related that spring S will hold the sections in the working position on one side of a dead center or in the openV position on the other side.

By this arrangement of parts, ordinarily the spring S acting on the end 33 of plate C keeps the last parts A and B rmly together with the stop faces 5 and I5 and ridges 8 and I8 in engagement so that the last can be used in the usual manner in the working position.

The arrangement is such, however, that when the toe parts of the last and shoe are bent down slightly, as shown in Fig. 3, stops including faces 5 and I5 and the ridges 3 and I8 and the curved faces 'I and Il separate so that, as shown in Fig. 5, when the toe parts are pushed towards the heel parts in the direction of the axis of slot I8, then the shoe heel part 43 moves away from the last heel part 3 and as the bending of the toe is continued, the shoe heel is entirely released, as shown in Fig. '7.

The faces 5 and I5 and 6 and I6 serve as stops to limit the pivotal movements of the heel and toe sections of the last towards and from the working position.

Preferably the angle of the axis of spring S is such that when the last parts are moved, it will hold them in the working position shown in Fig. l or in the open position shown in Fig. '7. In Figs. l and 2 compression spring S keeps pin P at the toe end of slot I8.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, I may use a last with the heel section E and toe section F connected by a pivot plate 28 in which is a slot 29 through which passes a pin 38. A compression spring 39 resiliently holds the sections together. In this case, the front face 25 of heel section E which is next the sole, engages the back face of toe section F and there are the ridges 58 and 5I, all of which engage when the last is in working position.

When in the open position shown in Fig. 6, the faces 26 and 36 engage. Faces 25 and 26 and 35 and 36, as well as 58 and 5I, all serve as stops.

The intermediate faces 2'I and 3l, however, are not curved but are straight. These faces might be of almost any shape, although the curved. shape is preferred, as they do not engage.

In fact, as shown in Fig. 8, I can use the heel part G and toe part L connected together by a connecting plate 58 with a slot 59 through which passes a pin 68, there being a spring 69 with no co-operating ridges at all.

Spring 69 rests in recesses I8 and 'II and does not touch the connecting plate 58.

In this construction, when in the working position, the faces 55 and 65 engage and when in the open position, the faces 55 and 66 engage, while the faces 5l and 6l between them are shown as straight, although they might be of almost any shape.

Ridges such as 8 and I8 and 58 and 5I are desirable as a part of the stop devices as they co-operate with the spring to keep the sole parts of the heel and toe sections accurately in line when in the working position.

Instead of the toe section and heel section being released by sliding on each other, I use a single sliding pivot. This pivot includes a single, straight slot instead of two slots or a slot with a turn and instead of a latch for locking the sections in working position, I use the adjoining faces of the sections as stops to co-operate with a pin in the slot and a spring to hold the parts firmly in working position.

The fixed and rigid plate C preferably fits fairly close in the slot I4 and thus prevents side movement, and the ridges 8 and I8 keep the parts, especially the sole, accurately in position, While the spring S holds the parts resiliently together. 'i'hese facts, together with the important fact that the xed slot, such as I0 or 59, allows movement in only one direction keep the parts accurately in working position, but permit the toe part to be pushed down and towards the heel, thus releasing the shoe heel.

I claim:

1. The combination in a shoe last comprising a heel section and a toe section pivoted together, there being a stop and a spring to hold the sections rrnly in working position and there being a space between the front face of the heel section and the back face of the toe section to permit movement to and from each other when the last is not in working position; of a connecting plate fixed to the heel section and extending into the toe section and having a bearing surface at its end, the connecting plate having a single straight elongated transverse pivot slot; with a holding spring positioned in the toe section and so bearing against the end of the connecting plate as to resiliently hold the sections in working position; and a pivot pin fixed in the toe section and passing through the pivot slot in the connecting plate, the adjoining parts of the heel and toe sections being so shaped that the sections can be moved towards each other along the axis of the slot after the toe section has been started to move on the pivot pin away from the working position.

2. The combination in a shoe last comprising a heel section and a toe section pivoted together, the portions of the front face of the heel section and the back face of the toe section which adjoin the last sole being so formed as stop faces to limit and determine the position of the sections when the last is in working position in a shoe, the portions of said faces which adjoin the last upper b'eing in planes which substantially radiate from a pivot pin and form an obtuse angle with the stop faces, and the intermediate portions of said faces having a space between them when the last is in Working position and being so formed that the sections can be moved towards each other` after the sections are moved pivotally from the working position; of a connecting plate fixed to one section and extending into the other section and having a single straight elongated pivot slot, the extended axis of which passes through said intermediate face portions and is at a suilicient angle with the stop faces to prevent them from slipping; a pivot pin which passes through said pivot slot; and a spring to hold the sections resiliently together in working position.

3. The combination in a shoe last comprising a heel section and a toe section pivoted together, the portions of the front face of the heel section and the back face of the toe section which adjoin the last sole being so formed as stop faces to limit and determine' the position of the sections when the last is in working position in a shoe, and the other portions of said faces having a space between them when the last is in Working position and being so formed that the sections can be moved towards each other after the sections are moved pivotally from the working position; of a connecting plate fixed to one section and extending into the other section and having a single straight elongated pivot slot, the extended axis of which passes through said other faces proximate the stop faces and is at a suflcient angle with the stop faces to prevent them from slipping; a pivot pin which passes through said pivot slot; and a spring to hold the sections resiliently together in working position.

4. The combination in a shoe last comprising a heel section and a toe section pivoted together, the portion of the front face of the heel section and of the back face of the toe section which adjoin the last sole being formed as flat stop faces to limit and determine the position of the sections when the last is in working position in a shoe and ending in ridges to prevent slipping of such faces in one direction, the adjoining portions of said front and back faces having a space between them when the last is in working position, such adjoining portions being so formed that the toe section can be moved toward the heel section after the toe section is moved pivotally from the working position, there being aligned Y adjoining slots in the heel and in the toe sections; of a connecting plate fixed in the slot in one section and extending into the slot in the other section, said plate having a single straight elongated slot with substantially parallel sides and an axis which when extended passes through such adjoining face portions and is at a suiicient angle with the stop faces to prevent them from slipping; a pivot pin which passes through said pivot slot; and a spring to hold the sections resiliently together in working position.

5. The combination in a shoe last comprising a heel section and a toe section pivoted together, the portion of the front face of the heel section and of the back face of the toe section, which adjoin the last sole, being formed as at stop faces to limit and determine the position of the sections when the last is in working position in a shoe and ending in ridges to prevent slipping of such faces in one direction, the adjoining portions of said front and back faces having a space between them vvhen the last is in working position, such adjoining portions being so formed that the toe section can be moved toward the heel section after the toe section is moved pivotally from the working position; of a connecting plate fixed to one section and extending into the other section, said plate having a single straight elongated slot with substantially parallel sides, and an axis which is at a suilicient angle with the stop faces to prevent them from slipping; a pivot pin which passes through said pivot slot; and a spring to hold the sections resiliently together inwerking position.

6. The combination in a shoe last comprising a heel section and a toe section pivoted together, there being a stop and a spring to hold the sec tions rmly in working position and there being a space between the front face of the heel secn tion and the back face of the toe section to permit movement to and from each other when the last is not in working position; of a connecting plate fixed to the heel section and extending into the toe section, the connecting plate having a single straight elongated pivot slot; and a pivot pin fixed in the toe section and passing through the pivot slot in the connecting plate, the adjoining parts of the heel and toe sections being so shaped that the sections can be moved towards each other along the axis of the slot after the toe section has been started to move on the pivot pin away from the working position.

ERNEST E. OUELLETTE. 

